Monthly Archives: April 2019

Gung Hei Fat Choi! Happy New Year – of the Pig!

The 5th of February marked the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Pig, which will continue until the 25th of January 2020. If you were born in 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, and 2019 you belong to the Pig zodiac – although if you are born between late January to mid February you you would do well to check if you fall into the preceding (Dog) or following (Rat) years as Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar and therefore changes year to year.

In Chinese Medicine the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) is a unique ancient system which categorises natural and physiological phases and phenomenon. The Chinese 60 year cycle in Chinese Astrology uses two interacting cycles – the first the heavenly Stems which uses the Five Elements in their Yin and Yang forms and the second the Earthly Branches which represent the twelve zodiac animals (and their element). Each year elements belonging to the Stem and Branch are analysed by Chinese Astrologers and Feng Shui Practitioners to predict outcomes for Heaven, Earth and Man luck. The Heaven Luck predicts major issues of the world, particularly natural influences. The Earth Luck looks at Feng Shui for auspicious and inauspicious locations for the year within countries, cities, businesses, homes. The Man Luck predicts individual animal zodiac luck for the coming year.

If we focus on the Man Luck or the animal zodiac there are some interesting general characteristics of the Pig Year. It is important to keep in mind here that although two people may be the Pig sign, if they are born in different years, they have a different element affecting both their sign and year from the 60 year cycle. For instance if a person was born in 1947, a fire pig year, the influences in the chart would differ to someone say born in the 1995 wood pig year or an earth Pig year in 2019. For a detailed and more accurate astrology chart reading, not only the Year is analysed but also the Month, Day and Hour pillars of a birth chart and the elements relating to these columns clash or combine with each other. These combinations can be very telling and quite specific to different areas of your life ie health, career, and relationships.

Generally Pig characters are friendly and sociable, sincere and kind and may be well respected for their integrity and reliability. This is a year where the hard work of the previous couple of years will pay off and promotions or new opportunities and improved income elsewhere may present themselves. With that said, Its a good year for Pigs to save money for the future rather than buying lovely things for today. The most compatible animals for the Pig are the Rabbit and Goat and these relationships benefit from their calmer natures, generosity and peacekeeping abilities.

Its a good year to seek out family members or friends who have these animals in their charts (especially in the year or day pillar) to enjoy the benefits of this compatibility (you can look this up on a BaZi calculator online or have your chart read). The compass opposite animal for the Pig is the Snake who therefore is in clash for the year. Although at times there may be challenges, much can be done in a clash year to set up future success. The focus is to think carefully before acting and spend more time increasing knowledge and skills.